


Somewhere in the Forest

by EmeraldViolets



Category: Original Work, exophilia - Fandom
Genre: Exophilia, Fluff, Forests, Love, Magic, Mystery, Nonbinary Character, Nymphs & Dryads, Other, Suspense
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-03
Updated: 2019-10-03
Packaged: 2020-11-22 19:34:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20879537
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmeraldViolets/pseuds/EmeraldViolets
Summary: Cora has lived by a mysterious forest her whole life, always having been warned against entering it. Once day her friend, Jane, convinces her to find out the truth about what resides within the forest's depths and uncover its secrets. However, Cora gets much more than she bargained for on this adventure.





	Somewhere in the Forest

**Author's Note:**

> So this is entry number 1 of my Fictober challenge, I had to use the line "It will be fun, trust me." as a prompt, be on the lookout for my other Fictober writings which I'm sure will span across many fandoms.

Cora stood before the the forest’s entrance, hearing the whistle of the wind as it blew through the trees, shaking them wistfully. She’d lived by this forest her whole life, walked past it on her way to the park, even knew of a few classmates who’s houses resided a little ways into its depths. However, she herself had never explored it. Why would she? Everyone in town was warned against not venturing too far in. Mostly the dangers were of aggressive animals and treacherous terrain, but Cora always got a chilling vibe from the forest. Whether or not anyone knew of its secrets and what really resided in the forest, whether or not anyone would admit that there was something more sinister at play in its undergrowth, Cora always had her suspicions about it, which is why she stayed away.  
And yet here she stood. Palms growing clammy as she locked eyes on its towering trees and darkening paths. Why did she ever agree to go inside?  
“It will be fun, trust me,” her friend Jane said, lightly tugging on Cora’s arm to urge her forward.  
“I think our definitions of fun are very different,” Cora said, eyeing her friend. “People say this forest is dangerous, maybe we shouldn’t do this.”  
Jane rolled her eyes, letting out a huff, “Adults will say anything is dangerous, especially stuff that’s a mystery to them. Come on, aren’t you just a little bit curious what’s in there?”  
Cora had to admit to herself that she had always wondered what lay beyond the forest’s boundary. Letting her curiosity get the best of her, she let out a sigh.  
“Alright fine, but we’re getting out of there before it gets dark. I’m not poking around in the pitch black, who knows what comes out at night,” Cora said stepping forward. Jane let out a squeal of excitement before following suit.  
Soon they were off, the grass beneath their feet turning into a mixture of dirt, roots, and fallen leaves. The further they ventured in the harder it became to see the sky above them, the thick green of the trees blocking it out, with only slight streams of light shining through every now and then. The forest was dense to say the least, but they were able to find footpaths that made it easier to traverse. The world around them was quiet, save for the occasional chatter of birds and the rustling of the tree tops.  
“We’ve been walking for an hour and so far this is just a normal forest,” Cora said, stopping to take a break. She leaned up against a tree, giving her feet a rest from the constant walking. Glancing up, she noticed that less beams of sunlight were shining through to the forest floor and it had grown significantly darker around them. Cora convinced herself that it must have become cloudy out as they had started their adventure at noon and had only been walking for an hour, therefore there was no way it was getting dark out yet.  
“That’s because we haven’t gone far enough in yet,” Jane said, hands on her hips.  
Cora let out a huff, “It’s probably not a good idea to go any further, we did what we came to do and besides we’ve probably gone deeper in than most.”  
“Oh come on, Cora, stop being lame. You can hardly call this an adventure, we came to find out the truth not just do an hours worth of exercise and call it a day.”  
Cora knew Jane was right, but a nagging voice in the back of her head was telling her not to continue, to just turn around and go home before things had a chance to get dangerous. Though things seemed normal around them right now, there was still an air of trepidation and an ominous feel that wouldn’t dissipate.  
Cora was about to further dispute her friend when a large crack sounded throughout the forest. Both girls froze at the noise and glanced around cautiously. Cora couldn’t even tell where the sound came from due to the vastness of the area.  
‘What was that?” she asked, her voice slightly wavering.  
Jane looked worried momentarily, but then smiled at Cora, “It was probably just an animal. We should go investigate.  
Cora shook her head, hands trembling slightly, but Jane wasn’t even looking at her, she was already off, walking deeper into the forest. Pushing off of the tree and running over to her, Cora grabbed her friend’s arm.  
“Jane, we need to leave,” she said urgently. Jane looked ready to speak, but was cut off by another cracking sound, this time louder than the last. Cora felt her blood run cold and she looked desperately to Jane. Jane gave a nod, taking a step back the way they came. Both girls took wary steps back along the path they had just walked. However, soon the sound returned, but this time multiple cracks could be heard from various directions, each seemingly growing louder. Cora and Jane huddled in fear, feeling as though they were surrounded. The noises never ceased and soon a violent wind picked up, blowing decaying leaves and pine needles in the girls’ faces.  
“Run!” Jane shouted, taking a leaping head start and bolting off down the pathway. Trying to regain her composure, Cora followed as fast as her legs would take her.  
But no matter how fast she ran she couldn’t escape the sounds and soon the wind became so extreme that she could barely see Jane ahead of her, the wistless dirt acting as a visual barrier.  
“Jane!” she yelled when her form finally disappeared completely from view. Though she was becoming disoriented, Cora didn’t slow down. Her adrenaline was pumping restlessly through her body, forcing her to keep moving for fear of what would happen if she stopped.  
Her blurred vision got the better of her, making her unable to see where she was going. The next thing Cora knew, her foot was snagging onto a protruding tree root and she was tumbling to the ground. She hit the cold forest floor hard, knocking the wind out of her. On her now dirtied hands and knees she tried to regain her breaths as she felt a sharp pain in her ankle, no doubt caused by the sudden trip. Clutching her ankle and letting out a soft yelp of pain, Cora barely realized that the sounds and wind had ceased around her, leaving her alone in the quiet forest.  
For a moment, she felt relieved to finally be away from the dangerous chaos, but fear struck her again as she realized she was completely alone and had no idea where she was. Jane was nowhere in sight and for all Cora knew she herself could have strayed farther into the forest due to the commotion.  
Cora held back a sob in her hopeless state. Why had she ever agreed to go into the forest? A few tears silently fell from her eyes, staining her cheeks. How was she ever going to get out of here?  
“You should be more careful,” a low voice called to her, making Cora scramble back and away from where it came. “I thought you humans warned each other not to explore this forest?”  
A figure finally came into view, stepping out from behind a large oak tree. Cora felt her eyes widen at its form, the being unlike anything she’d ever seen before. They were humanoid, standing a little taller than herself, and slim, but well toned, each muscle shining forth dazzlingly. Their skin was dark and earthy, having flecks of green, matching the tone of the bark on the tree they’d just stepped from behind. Parts of their skin were marked and sticking out to form leaves that cascaded down their body, acting as covering. Green hair and vine-like objects fell from the top of their head, falling just below their pointed elf-like ears. However, the most piercing aspect was their eyes, a glaring yellow that seemed to see right through Cora as she took in the creature. Their gaze was hard, but their voice was soft as they spoke.  
“S-stay back,” Cora stuttered, fear evident in her voice. She couldn’t stand due to her ankle, so she shuffled back a few paces on the ground away from the figure.  
They just continued to stare at her, their eyes studying while not making a move to step forward.  
“You’re hurt,” they said, motioning toward Cora’s ankle. “I can help you, if you’ll let me.”  
They took a slow step toward her, but paused when Cora attempted to move away again.  
“You don’t need to be afraid,” they said, voice low but never abrasive. “I’m just a simple dryad, I won’t hurt you.”  
Cora ears perked up at the term “dryad”. She’d heard it before, the rumors that those fantastical creatures lived in the forest and presided over the land, keeping the vegetation in good health.  
“A dryad?” Cora questioned, still wary. She didn’t exactly doubt this figure before her was actually one of these creatures, after all it’s form was so unique and almost impossible to believe.  
“Yes. A forest nymph, if you will,” they said. “I watch over this land, protect its inhabitants, though there are some things in here that even I can’t ward off.”  
The dryad’s words sent a shiver down Cora’s spine, perhaps she had just encountered the something they were talking about.  
“We’ve tried our best to keep you humans away, for your own safety, but every now and then we get a curious one like yourself that wanders in,” they explained, a soft smile on their lips. “I wish you hadn’t come so far in, the worst dangers reside deeper within the forest. It’s lucky I found you when I did.”  
Cora felt a wave of gratitude wash over her as she realized that the dryad had most likely saved her from whatever was giving chase earlier. The dryad’s eyes found place back on her ankle.  
“I can help you get out of the forest,” they said. “I hope your curiosity has been filled, as I suggest you stay out from now on.”  
Cora didn’t need to be told twice to not return, but she did appreciate their gentle tone with her. The dryad took another step forward and paused to gauge Cora’s reaction. This time she didn’t move, allowing the dryad to continue forward and kneel down beside her. The scent of pine and rain hit her nostrils almost immediately in the proximity. The dryad reached down to lay their hand on Cora’s ankle. Not a moment after, a glow emanated from outstretched fingers, spreading warmth over her injured area. The glow was dim, but golden, reminding Cora of sunlight, which she was beginning to miss quite a bit.  
As the light continued, Cora began to feel the pain in her ankle become less and less prominent until finally it disappeared completely. When the dryad took their hand away, Cora carefully began to flex her ankle, realizing that it was now completely healed.  
“H-how did you do that?” she asked, astonished.  
The dryad smiled, “Just a little trick we dryads know. Come, we should get you home.”  
They stood gracefully, holding out their hands to her and gently pulling Cora to her feet.  
“Thank you,” she said gratefully, giving them a shy smile. They smiled back and gave a nod, ready to begin leading her out of the forest. However, before Cora could even take a step, the ominous cracking sound from before returned ever louder, causing Cora to freeze out of fear.  
The next thing she knew, she was being gathered up into the dryad’s arms and held firmly to their chest. They brought her over behind a large tree trunk, holding her tightly between it and their body, effectively shielding her from whatever was seemingly around.  
Cora felt her cheeks heat up slightly at the closeness of their bodies. She noticed their well-toned muscles and strong arms even more now that she was up close and personal. The dryad used their hands to hold her close, while their eyes stayed alert, scanning their surroundings. After a few more moments of complete silence, the dryad loosened their grip on Cora, but still kept a hold of her for security.  
Cora gazed up at them, unaware that a blush was evident on her cheeks.  
“I think it’s safe,” they said, eyes still scanning the area. “But we should hurry and get you out of here.”  
Cora felt a sudden chill run through her body as the dryad stepped away from her. In that instant she missed their arms around her. For once she had felt safe in this forest.  
“Cora!” A voice bellowed through the trees. The dryad’s head turned warily toward the source of the sound, but didn’t seem as alarmed as before.  
“Cora!” the voice yelled again and this time Cora recognized it. It was Jane.  
“It’s okay, that’s my friend, Jane. She came into the forest with me,” she explained, spotting her friend’s form coming to view. “I’m so glad she’s safe.”  
The dryad gave a nod, “You should go to her and then get out as fast as possible.” They said taking a step away from Cora.  
“But...” Cora started, saddened by the thought of the dryad leaving.  
“Don’t worry, I’ll watch over you from the treetops and make sure you get out safely,” they said, their warm smile reappearing. Cora replied with a nod and another thank you, watching as the dryad began to step further away from her.  
“Wait!” she said unexpectedly, causing the dryad to pause. “I didn’t get your name.”  
“You can call me Lest,” they said.  
“Thank you, Lest,” Cora said sincerely, savoring the name on her tongue.  
Lest gave another smile. “Perhaps we’ll meet again one day,” they said, taking purchase on a low branch, signalling that they would soon disappear up the tree. Cora could only hope that were true before turning away and running over to Jane.  
Jane looked frantic, but relief washed over as Cora came into her view.  
“Oh thank god that you’re okay,” she said giving Cora a hug. “I was so afraid you’d be lost in here, i just had to come back for you.”  
“Wait you got out of the forest, but decided to come back in to find me?” Cora asked.  
“Of course! I couldn’t just leave you,” Jane exclaimed. “Hurry lets get out of here, the entrance isn’t too far and I’d rather not spend anymore time in this creepy place.”  
Cora gave an affirmative nod, following her friend through the underbrush. As she walked away, she took one last glance back, spotting Lest a bit further up in the tree they’d climbed. Lest caught Cora’s eye and gave a wink before vanishing completely up the tree.  
Cora smiled to herself, feeling the familiar warmth spread through her cheeks.  
She would be content never having to deal with the horrors of this forest again, but still, as she swiftly walked away from the magical realm she’d discovered today, Cora thought she may just have to come back.


End file.
